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In Brooklyn, Youth Are Opening Doors To A Culture Of Peace And Justice

Brooklyn, New York, became the second most expensive place to live in the country last year, second only to Manhattan, which towers over it just across the East River. The Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods—Brooklyn’s “artisanal paradise”—have helped the borough become a home for culture creators, entrepreneurs, and investors.

Twelve years ago, before the Brooklyn renaissance, Danny Rivera, now 29, found a safe haven in the borough at a citizen sector organization called El Puente. “Growing up, I went to four different high schools, dealing with problems as a teenager, and with family, and just trying to survive,” Rivera said.

“It was really hard for me, fighting through adversity, but El Puente really made me feel like I was at a second home.”

El Puente engages Brooklyn youth like Rivera through the arts, scientific research, environmental action, and more. And it may have saved Rivera’s life.

Today, Rivera is giving back to the community that took him in by serving as a mentor coordinator at El Puente’s Williamsburg Leadership Center. He recently worked with the young people in his program—kids who often come from large, working class, single-parent homes—to submit a pitch to the “My Voice, Our City” competition, led by the New York City’s Mayor’s Office. The Ashoka Changemakers competition is part of the city’s commitment to address the educational, professional, and personal barriers that impede black and Latino men from reaching their potential.

“The kids really wanted to do ‘something hot,’ as they say,” Rivera said. “We try to have the kids feel like they can work hard for something and get something in return.

“We talked about different ideas, but what they decided on was a safe place to share crafts, experiences, help each other out, and create a positive community of love.”

Their big idea is to build a working café at the community center because the “kids think the café culture at Starbucks is cool,” Rivera said. Like any good coffeehouse, the space will be stocked with nutritious foods for El Puente members, but calling it a “café” doesn’t exactly do it justice—it’s not just about biscotti and beverages in insulated cups.

“Our program director in Williamsburg, Rosa Scott, is a huge proponent of structure,” Rivera said. “Each day, we want to present the community with something different.

“One day, it could be a workshop about jobs. On another day, we could focus on building a resource book with employment contacts, and we want to have some of our young people work at the café as community-building interns.”

Rivera and the El Puente staff have already repainted the room in bright colors and filled the space with computer desks, rugs, bean bag chairs, and lamps. It’s not quite ready to open for business, but El Puente is fundraising to turn their kids’ vision into reality.

“We often spend more time with kids than they do with their parents,” Rivera said. “We’re that second adult that raises these kids, especially in the summer. So, we try to give our young people as much attention as possible, and show that they’re cared for, because in the future, somebody is going to need them to lead people.”

The organization has been around since 1982, but, according to Rivera, there’s been a renewed sense of trust in the community over the past two years. And for the second consecutive year, El Puente had to open wait-lists for its after-school and summer programs.

Rivera attributed the increased demand for El Puente’s services to the spread of the “Twelve Fundamental Principles.” The twelve principles, which guide the nonprofit’s programming, are introduced to young people during an orientation session at the Taylor-Wythe Leadership Center. They challenge them to be empathetic, to respect others, to strive for excellence, and to be self-advocates.

“We want a space that feels like a café but that also strives for something much better,” he said. “It’s about unity. We want to show the community that we’re here, and we can help their kids out.”

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